Self-addressing envelope



magma E. MQEN SELF-ADDRESSING ENVELOPE Filed March 22, 1944 Patented Aug. 6, 1946 UNITED STATES e'I.-;*I;' ENT OFFICE 2,405,511' v SELF-ADDRESSING ENVELOPE Edwin Moen, New London, Conn.

Application March 2 2, 1944, Serial No. 527,555

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in letter envelopes and, more specifically, to a new and improved self addressing envelope.

It happen frequently that a person replying to a letter received makes mistakes in copying the address from the received letter, which results in delays or even in the failure of the letter reaching the addressee. Particularly if the address is complicated, for instance if long serial numbers are necessary as in the case of letter to men in the armed forces (and women also)it is highly desirable to facilitate the addressing as much as possible.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is the provision of an envelope from which a gummed part bearing the senders address can easily be detached and pasted upon an envelope, so that the addressing can be done without any Writing. This arrangement has the additional advantage of inducing the sender of a letter to write his own address clearly in a designated space, which facilitates the return of the letter in case the addressee cannot be reached.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an envelope of the character described, the gummed part of which is protected against sticking to the letter itself or to a portion of the envelope.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an envelope of the character described whichin spite of the advantages of the self-addressing arrangement-can be manufactured at practically the same cost as ordinary envelopes.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an envelope of the character described which allows the person who detaches the gummed part bearing the sender's address from the envelope, to keep a complete copy of the detached sender-address without re-writing the same.

Further objects of the instant invention reside in any novel feature of construction or operation or novel combination of parts present in the embodiment of the invention described and shown in the accompanying drawing Within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fi 3 is a front elevation of a modification of the invention partially broken away; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Similar numerals refer to throughout the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral I denotes the front sheet of an envelope upon which the address of the addressee is to be written. The lines 2, usually in the upper left corner portion of sheet I, designate the space on which the senders address is to be inserted. This space is surrounded by a perforation 3, and its rear side is provided with a coating 4 (Fig. 2) of a glutinous mass, gum arabic or the like. Thus the portion bearing the senders address can be easily detached by the receiver of the letter and can be pasted upon the envelope of the letter sent in reply. If the perforation should be objectionable, for instance for registered mail or overseas letters, the perforation 3 can be substituted by full or dotted lines (not shown) indicating the dimensions of the gummed portion, so that this portion can easily be detached from sheet I by means of scissors or the like. In order to prevent the gummed portion from sticking to the flap 5 or to a letter inserted (not shown), I prefer to attach a thin sheet 6 to the rear side of sheet I by gluing or the like, for instance at I (Fig. 2) or at any one of the edges of the gummed portion, so that sheet 6 can be detached when similar parts the 'senders address is being pasted upon a reply envelope.

In order to enable the person detaching the senders address from an envelope, to keep the complete envelope with the senders address, I prefer also to carry out my invention according to the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4. There it will be seen, that the space designated by the lines 2 is not surrounded by a perforation or otherwise adapted to :be detached from sheet I, but is coated on its rear side with a preparation Ill of lampblack, or of some color used in making copies. A sticker I I is detachably secured to the envelope below the preparation II) by means of a perforation I2 or the like, and a thin detachable sheet I4, adapted to cover'the gummed rear side I5 of sticker II (Fig. 4) is also detachably secured to the envelope. In this case, the sender of the letter copies his address, by writing it on the lines 2, upon the sticker I I; and the receiver can address his reply letter simply by detaching sticker II from the received envelope and by pasting it upon the reply envelope.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is desired, therefore, that front sheet portion opposite said designated space; a gummed sticker covering said carbon coating and having its upper portion, which is detachabiy secured to its main portion by means of a row of perforations, attached to the inner side of said envelope front sheet; and a thin sheet adapted to cover the gummed side of said sticker being with its upper portion attached to a portion of said envelope flap which is adjacent the crease formed by said fiap andsaid front 1 sheet, all substantially as describedg 1 EDWIN MOEN. 

